Valve



Patented Apr. 27, 1943 Otis 0. Martin, Los Angeles, cam} Original application March 11, 1940, SerialNa- 323,376, now Patent No. 2,279,693, dated April 14, 1942. Divided and this application April 30, 1941, Serial No. 391,071

4 Claims.

My invention relates to valves and has particular reference to a valve for controlling hydraulic or pneumatic pressure.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 323,376, filed March 11, 1940, and entitled Valve, now Patent No. 2,279,693, granted Apr. 14, 1942.

In fluid operated power apparatus, the types of valves which have heretofore been used have been for the most part relatively large, heavy and cumbersome pieces of apparatus and have required the complete disconnection of the valves from the pipe lines whenever repairs are required for the purpose.

In many industries the fluid power apparatus requirements are such that a relatively large number of valves must be conveniently located at a single control station so that such large and weighty pieces of apparatus are not readily adapted for compact mounting in a single control station.

For example, many of the functions of modern airplanes are controlled by either hydraulic or pneumatic power apparatus, the valves for 'con-- trolling which must be located in the pilots compartment and, as can be readily appreciated, not only the space requirements but the weight requirements of the valves become an important factor. Moreover, the valves should be capable of ready access for repair and should require a minimum of disconnection of pipe lines in order to permit such repair or replacement of parts.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a valve for controlling fluid power apparatus in which the valves may be made extremely light and extremely small so as to permit the ready mounting of large numbers of the valves in a small space.

Another object of my invention isto provide a valve of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the operating parts of the valves are readily accessible, and more particularly may be readily removed and replaced without requiring the disconnection of any of the pipe lines.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve of the character set forth in which a 2- way valve is mounted in a single chamber to permit the ready passage of fluid between the chamber and one pipe line and between the chamber and another pipe line or to permit closing of the chamber to both lines selectively.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a study or the following specifications, read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a valve constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrated diagrammatically as being connected to a 2-way piston and cylinder fluid power apparatus; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional, view taken through the valve illustrated in Fig. 1, and illustrating the valve parts in closed position; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar tc Fig. 2 but illustrating the position of the valve parts upon operation of the valve handle to move the fluid power mechanism in one direction.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated in Fi 1 a valve l constructed in accordance with my invention, such-valve including a body member 2 which may be constructed from a single block of suitable material such as metal or plastic material though, for the purpose of permitting my valve to control pressure of several hundreds of pounds and yet be light in weight, I

prefer to form the valve body block 2 from a single piece of aluminum alloy such as Duralumin. The block is provided with suitable ports 3, 4, 5 and 6 (see Fig. 2), to which may be connected, respectively, the-pipe lines coupling my valve to a suitable source of pressure supply and to an operating fluid power apparatus, one form of which is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. l as including a cylinder 1 in which operates a piston 8 coupled by means of a piston rod 9 to some piece of apparatus to be actuated thereby.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that port 3 constitutes an inlet port for fluid pressure, to which may be coupled a pipe line i0 extending from a suitable source of pressure supply (not shown). The exhaust port 3 is similarly coupled to a pipe line H which may extend back to the pressure supply or may merely permit exhausting of the fluid pressure to the atmosphere. The port 5 has connected thereto a pipe line i2 which is illustrated as extending to the forward end of the cylinder 1 while the port 6 has connected thereto a pipe line it which extends to the opposite end of the cylinder l. a I

As will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 2, the ports 3, 4, 5 and 0 may be bored and threaded to take any of the standard pipe line couplings or connectors such as illustrated at it.

Disposed between the ports 3 and 6 is a valve chamber A formed directly in the body 2 of my valve, as by forming a bore which extends verticallydown through the valve body 2, the uppermost portion of the bore being enlarged and threaded, as indicated at I5, to receive a cap nut I6. Immediately below the portion I5 is an enlarged chamber II, the metal of the body at the lower side of the chamber I! being tapered to form an upper valve seat I8. Below the valve seat I8 the bore is again enlarged as indicated at I9, the metal of the body at the lower side of this enlargement being tapered as indicated at 20 to form a second or lower valve seat, immediately beneath which is a third enlargement 2|, from which a plurality of small bores 22 extend into a transverse bore 23 adapted to receive and house an operating shaft 24 by which the valve structure to be hereinafter described may be manipulated.

In order to adapt my valve: for 4-way operation, as for example for the controlling of a reversible piston. and cylinder apparatus I and 8, I provide a second valve chamber bore B disposed between the ports 3 and 5, this bore constituting a duplicate of the valve chamber bore hereinbefore described including sections I5a, I'Ia, I9a, 2Ia. and upper and lower valve seats IBa and 20a and small bores 22a. corresponding in all respects to parts I5, II, I8, I9, 20, 2| and 22 hereinbefore described.

In the valve chamber A I provide a valve assembly which includes a lower valve member 33 adapted to make a sealing engagement with the lower valve seat 20. The lower valve member 33 is guided by that portion of the valve chamber bore A which is disposed immediately below the enlargement 2|. The valve member 33 is provided with a longitudinal bore which receives and guides a valve stem 26 extending downwardly from an upper valve member 25 adapted to make a sealing engagement with the upper valve seat I8. Valve closing springs 29 and 32 are interposed, respectively, between the cap nut I6 and the .upper valve 25 and between the upper valve 25 and the lower valve 33.

Theassembly just described may be inserted into the valve chamber A through the open upper end of the bore forming this chamber and will be held in place by means of the cap screw I 6 which I prefer to form with a socket 42 to receive and'guide the upper end of the valve closing spring 29.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be apparent that when the valve assembly is disposed within the bore or chamber A, the upper valve member 25 will be tightly pressed against its seat I8 by means of the spring 29 with the extreme lower end of the stem 26 of this valve member protruding below the lower end of the valve member 33. Likewise the valve member 33 will be pressed tightly against its seat 20 by means of the spring 32, which bears at its upper end against the valve member 25. It will,

be noted therefore that the upper spring 29 must be considerably stronger than the spring 32 so that the valve. 33 may be opened by upward movement relative to the valve 25 while the valve 25 is held closed by its spring 29.

The valve assembly in valve chamber B is a duplicate of the valve structure Just described. such duplication making for economical production.

The intercommunication between the ports 3, 5 and 5 and the valve chambers A and B is readily made by the methods described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 330,752, filed April 20, 1940, wherein it is described that the valve chambers A and B are formed by providing first astraight bore through the valve body 2, after which suitable tools described in thesaid application are employed to enlarge portions of this bore to form the enlarged sections or chambers I], I9 and2I.

Similarly, as described in the said. copendin application, the ports 3, 5 and 6 may be formed by extending bores from the upper face of the valve body 2 to the desired depth, as indicated in Fig. 2, and then by the use of suitable tools described in the said application the lower ends of these bores may be enlarged sufficiently that the enlarged portions of the port bores intersect the enlarged portions of the valve chamber bores.

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the lower end of the port 3 has an enlarged portion 43 which intersects the enlargement ll of chamber A and Ila of chamber B so that fluid entering port 3 may pass directly into the enlargements or chambers I1 and IIa. for both of the valve assemblies. Also it will be noted that the lower end of port 5 has an enlargement 44 which intersects the enlargement of.chamber B and port 6 has an enlargement 45 intersecting enlargement I9 of chamber A. Thus if valve member 25 in chamber A is open, pressure passing into port 3 will be allowed to pass valve 25 in chamber A into enlargement I9, thence to enlargement 45 in port 6 and out through port 6 through pipe I3 to the left-hand end of cylinder I. At the same time pressure from the right-hand end of the cylinder I will enter through pipe I2 and port 5 and will pass through enlargement 44 and enlargement I9a from chamber B so that if at this time valve member 33a in chamber B is open such pressure will pass down to enlargement 2I a and through the small bores 22a and into the handle chamber 23.

At this point it should be noted .that the left-hand end of the handle chamber 23 communicates directly with exhaust port 4 and, as will be observed from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 4, the valve operating shaft is provided with means which permits fluid to flow past the shaft 24 and out of port 4.

The operating shaft 24 comprises a rod-like member, the extreme left-hand end of which is provided with a short bore 46 extending longitudinally into the end of the shaft so that a row of holes 4] extending radially through that end of the shaft will provide intercommunication between shaft chamber 23 and the bore 46 to the exhaust port 4. That part of the operating shaft 24 which is disposed immediately below the valve assembly in chamber A is provided with cam surfaces indicated generally at 48 and arranged to selectively engage the lower ends of the lower valve member 33 and the stem 26 of the upper valve 25 to provide for a selective lifting of these valves upon rotation of the operating shaft 24.

Similarly, that portion of the shaft which is disposed immediately below the valve chamber B is provided with cam surfaces engaging, respectively, the lower end of the valve member 25 The cam surfaces are so arranged that when the handle 52 is turned to the left or in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, valves 25a and 33 will be opened while valves 25 and 330 will remain closed. This is the arrangement of the valve positions shown in Fig. 3.

Thus fluid pressure coming from the source of pressure from the pipe l and into and through the port 3 will pass down through the now open valve 25a and thence through port 5 and line I2 to the right-hand end of the cylinder I, the exhaust from the opposite end of the cylinder 1 passing through pipe l3 and into and through port 6, from whence it passes through the now open valve 33 in chamber A and through small bores 22 into the shaft chamber 23. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 8 that the shaft bore 23 is enlarged immediately adjacent each of the valve chambers A and B so that the small bores 22 may freely discharge into the shaft bore 23, the fluid then passing through the holes 41 in the shaft 24 and thence to the exhaust port 4.

With the valve in this position,-it is apparent that the piston 8 will be moved toward the left-hand end of the cylinder I and may be stopped in any intermediate position merely by restoring the operating handle 52 to its vertical position which will accomplish the closure of the valve 250. and valve 33, looking the hydraulic system in a stationary condition.

The cam surfaces are also so arranged that movement of the handle'to the right orin a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, reverses the valve positions as shown in Fig. 3, i. e., closes valves 25:; and 33 and opens valves 25 and 33a. This will permit pressure fluid in the pipe to pass through the port 3 through now open valve 25 and through port 6 into pipe line 3 to the left-hand end of the cylinder, Where the exhaust from the right-hand end of the cylinder passes through pipe [2, port 5, now open valve 33a, and through the small bores 220, into the shaft bore 23. To permit the fluid exhausted through the small bores 22a to pass to the exhaust port 4, I prefer to provide a grooved or flattened portion 53 on the part of the shaft 24 which is disposed between the cam surfaces- 48 and 50. Thus the fluid may pass along the shaft 24 and through the holes 41 and thence to the exhaust port 4.

To facilitate the construction of my valve. I prefer to provide a pair of bores 54 and 55 aligned, respectively, with the bores constituting the chambers A and B, which bores 54 and 55 may be made sufiiciently large in diameter to readily admit the drilling tools required to drill the multiplicity of small bores 22 and 22a in each ofthe valve chambers. In forming such bores 54 and 55, I prefer to allow the drill to penetrate into the valve block 2 a suflieient distance to come flush with or just pass beyond the upper side of the longitudinal shaft bore 23 so that a substantially flat surface 56 is formed immediately at the end of each of the valve chambers A and B to permit ready drilling of the small bores 22 and 22a. The bores 54 and 55 may then be plugged as by using cap screws 57 and 58 threaded into the bores 54 and 55 and sealed therein by means ofsuitable gaskets 59. It will be noted that, like the cap screws Hi, there is an internal socket 60 in each of the cap screws 51 which provides a relatively large fluid receiving chamber through which the dischargefrom valves 33 and 33a may readily pass and permits more ready communication between the grooves 53 on'the shaft 24 with the fluid receivingchambers disposed beneath each of the valve chambers A and B and thus facilitate the passage of fluid from the valve 32a to the exhaust port 4.-

Another feature of my valve is that of providing for relatively simple machining operations by which all parts of the valve may be constructed and to this end I employ as the valve operating shaft 24 a simple length of round metal stock-and form the cam surfaces thereon in such manner that the original round stock constitutes the bearing surface which will rotatably bear,upon the interior surfaces of a simple drilled hole extending from the right-hand end of my valve, as

viewed in Fig. 2, to a point 6| spaced slightly to I the left of the lower end of the valve chamber A.

Thus a multiplicity of excellent bearing surfaces are provided in the bore 23 for rotatably mounting the shaft 24 and yet provides for the ready passage of the fluid from the exterior of the shaft to the interior thereof at that end of the shaft immediately adjacent the exhaust port 4.

The shaft 24 may be held in place within the valve block 2 as by providing a washer member 63 at the right-hand end of the'shaft which may be readily attached to the right-hand end surface of the block 2 by means of suitable screws 64. The washer 63 is provided with a small bore 65 through which the extreme or handle end of the shaft 24 may project while a shoulder 56 may be formed upon the shaft 24 to abut either the inner surface of the washer or a corresponding shoulder 61 formed in the washer 63. The shaft may be readily packed against leakage as by providing an enlarged portion 58 of the shaft bore 23 immediately adjacent the right-hand end of the block 2 and into which may be pressed an annular packing ring 69 of rubber, Neoprene or other suitable material,

t such ring 69, like the packing rings 36, being provided with an annular groove upon their inner faces which will permit fluid pressure to expand the ring into tight sealing relation with the shaft and with the block 2. To prevent collapse of such ring, an annular ring 70 of metal may be provided to be received in the groove of the packing ring 69.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that my valve may be readily constructed with a series of relatively simple drilling and boring operations while the arrangement of the intersecting enlargements of the various bores provides for the intercommunicating passages between the ports and the valve chambers. Moreover, such arrangement permits the ports 3, 5 and 6 to be arranged in a straight linewith respect to each other while the valve bores may also be arranged in the same straight line whereby the entire thickness of the block 2 may be made extremely small. The only limit to be placed upon this thickness is to insure an adequate thickness of wall between the side surfaces of the valve block and the largest'portion iii of the valve chamber. By actual test a valve capable of handling 1000 pounds per square inch pressure may be made by employing my construction, with a total thickness of one inch, a total height of two inches and a total length of three faces of the block, leaving the two side surfaces of the valve entirely free from openings or other possible obstructions and thus permitting these valves to be assembled one immediately against the other without interfering with ready access to all of the valve parts and without interfering with the ready connection of pipe lines to the various ports. This shape and construction also permits the ready mounting of the valves as by means of screws, bolts, rods or the like extending through suitable mounting openings II which may extend transversely through the block 2 and may be disposed as'illustrated in Fig. 2 through portions of the block not intersected by the various shaft bores, valve chamber bores and fluid port bores.

A further advantage of my valve lies in the fact that all of the operating parts of the valve are accessible without disconnection of any of the pipe lines since all that is required to remove, repair and replace any of the valve parts is to remove the cap screws l6, whereupon the entire valve assembly can be bodily removed from the valve and a new assembly or such new parts as may be required may be inserted. Also the shaft may be readily removed without disconnection of any of the pipe lines by merely removing the valve assemblies and then removing the shaft.

While as described herein the valve seats may be formed directly upon the metal of the body block 2, particularly when such block is constructed of such materials as Duralumin" and employed with valve members of steel or similar metal, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that separate valve seats may be formed as inserts to be placed within the valve bores to constitute the actual seating surfaces upon which the valve members may rest.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details of construction shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fluid control valve, a body member, a valve chamber bore extending from one surface of said body member, a valve seat in said bore, a pair of fluid port bores disposed on opposite sides of said chamber bore, each extending from said one surface of said body member and having its longitudinal axis extending parallel to the axis of said chamber bore, cylindrical enlargements of said chamber bore and one of said fluid port bores concentric with said bores and intersecting each other above said valve seat to provide a fluid passage therebetween, and cylindrical enlargements of said valve bore and the other of said fluid port bores concentric with said bores and intersecting each other below said valve seat to provide a fluid passage therebetween.

2. In a fluid control valve, a body member, a

pair of valve chamber bores spaced from each otherand extending from one surface of said body member, the axes of said bores being dis posed parallel to each other, a valve seat in each of said bores, a valve member in each of said bores, a fluid port bore disposed between said chamber bores and extending parallel thereto from said one surface, each of said bores having cylindrical enlargements concentric with said bores and intersecting the enlargements of adjacent bores above said valve seats to provide a fluid passage between said fluid port bore and said valve chamber bores, and another fluid port bore associated with each of said valve chamber bores and disposed on the outside thereof, each of said other port bores being extended from said one surface and parallel to said chamber bores, each of said chamber bores and the other port bore associated therewith having cylindrical enlargements concentric with said bores and intersecting below said valve seat to provide a fluid passage between each chamber bore and the associated other port bore.

3. In a fluid control valve, a body member, a valve chamber bore extending from one surface of said body member, a valve seat in said bore, a pair of fluid port bores disposed on opposite sides of said chamber bore, each extending from said one surface of said body member and having its longitudinal axis extending parallel to the axis of said chamber bore, enlargements of said chamber bore and one of said fluid port bores intersecting each other above said valve seat to provide a fluid passage therebetween, and enlargements of said chamber bore and the other of said fluid port bores intersecting each other below said valve seat to provide a fluid passage therebetween.

4. In a fluid control valve, a body member, a pair of valve chamber bores spaced from each other and extending from one surface of said body member, the, axes of said bores being disposed parallel to each other, a valve seat in each of said bores, a valve member in each of said bores, a fluid port bore disposed between said chamber bores and extending parallel thereto from said one surface, each of said bores having enlargements intersecting the enlargements of adjacent bores below said valveseats to provide a fluid passage between said fluid port bore and said valve chamber bores, and another fluid port bore associated with each of said valve chamber bores and disposed on the outside thereof, each of said other port' bores being extended from said one surface and parallel to said chamber bore, each of said chamber bores and the other port bore associated therewith having enlargements intersecting below said valve seat to provide a fluid passage between each chamber bore and the associated other port bore.

OTIS C. MARTIN. 

